1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a washing machine, and more particularly, to a washing machine and a lint removing apparatus thereof capable of easily collecting lint generated from the laundry during a washing cycle and easily disposing the collected lint. More particularly, the present invention relates to a washing machine and a lint removing apparatus thereof capable of enhancing clearness of the laundry by allowing lint conveyed in dry air during a dry cycle of the laundry to be collected by a predetermined filter structure.
2. Description of the Related Art
A general drum washing machine includes a main body having a hexahedral shape, a drum installed in the main body and having a plurality of holes, a tub enclosing the drum and in which washing water is taken, a drive motor for rotating the drum, and a detergent box for receiving detergent, a water pipe connected with the detergent box, for supplying the washing water or the washing water mixed with the detergent of the detergent box, a drain pipe for draining the washing water used in a washing cycle to the outside, and a pump and a drain hose connected with the end of the drain pipe, for forcibly draining the washing water.
The drum washing machine puts the laundry, supplies the washing water into the drum and performs the washing cycle using friction with the washing water produced while the laundry falls in a gravity direction when the drum rotates. Recently, the drum washing machine has an additional function and can perform a spinning and dry cycles for the laundry after the washing cycle besides the washing cycle.
The washing machine that performs the dry cycle has a ventilation duct installed on one side of the tub to allow hot wind to be blown to the laundry in the drum after the spinning cycle for the laundry and allow humidity of the laundry to be evaporated by the hot wind. During the dry cycle, air containing humidity is exhausted to the outside of the washing machine through an exhaust port. In the meantime, since the exhaust port is extended to the outside of the main body so that outside air may communicate with the inside of the tub, it also serves as a respiration hole when an infant or a pet is confined in the tub.
In the washing machine having a dry function, lint (fine fluff generated from the laundry) is produced from the laundry when the dry cycle is performed. The lint is circulated in the drum within the washing machine by hot wind and discharged through the exhaust port to the outside of the washing machine together with the exhausted air. However, since the lint has weight and volume of its own though it is fine, the lint is accumulated in a position adjacent to the exhaust port, particularly in a bellows for connecting the exhaust port with the tub.
When the lint is constantly accumulated, it blocks the exhaust port after all, which hinders the hot wind from circulating during the dry cycle, so that not only dry efficiency is deteriorated but also the dry condensed lint has danger of catching fire due to the hot wind thereof. Also, since the exhaust port cannot properly serve as a respiration hole due to the lint when an infant or a pet is confined in the washing machine, stability of the washing machine is damaged.
Considering the above problems, a filter for filtering the lint has been suggested to prevent the lint from being accumulated in the exhaust port. The filter has a predetermined shape and is inserted into the exhaust port, so that when the lint is condensed more than a predetermined amount, a user may easily replaces the filter.
However, when the filter and the adjacent portion of the filter are not strongly bonded in such a structure, the lint leaks through a gap between them, leaking out together with the hot wind. Further, the leaked hot wind distorts or wrenches each part of the washing machine made of synthetic resin and thus transforms the appearance. Such problems have an influence on each part constituting the washing machine and deteriorate reliability of the product.
Also, since a user should take down the adjacent portion of the exhaust port to remove the lint, it is difficult to clean the filter. Further, if a user does not clean the filter frequently because cleaning the filter is not easy, collected lint becomes an obstacle to the flowing of air. Accordingly, dry efficiency for the laundry is deteriorated and heat is accumulated in the inside of the tub and thus danger of catching fire increases. Also, since the exhaust port cannot properly serve as a respiration hole when the lint is excessively accumulated, the lint becomes an obstacle to the safety of the washing machine.